Your Choice For President of the U.S. - 2004

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two_fister: 7by6......

...you don't have to tell me about local elections, I live in Milwaukee....everyone's getting recalled.


Al Sharpton for Prez. ;D

 

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7x6andchg: Two_fister:

We don't hear much about Milwaukee WAYYYY up here. But I know the name Norquist...

You are correct that Al Sharpton would be...entertaining...for four years.

 

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drrionelli: I think it would be interesting to see John Glenn as president of the USA. Let's consider that he's clearly smarter than any of the other candidates. I mean, NASA does have rather high standards for those whom it sends into space. And, given that he holds the record for the oldest astronaut, he should have the physical stamina to serve.

 

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7x6andchg: drrionelli:

He does have the Senatorial experience...anyone on the board from Ohio who could or would comment on their impression of his public service for that state? He was in the Senate for quite a while...25+ years, if I remember correctly. He's 82 years old, though - might work against him.

But you're right NASA doesn't just let anyone "fly the plane"

7x6&C

 

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wvu_kerq: I don't get much into politics however... *deep bow to POWs* I would like to see McCain run again, but only b/c i respect him greatly... wait isnt that why you vote for someone? ;D
I would also like to see Carol Moseley-Braun run, but I do recognize the fact that as a female she would be unlikely to get the respect of many Middle Eastern country's leaders. Still, I'd love to see a woman and her first "lady"... err... first man.

 

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SchroederJr: Those that say the presidency doesn't matter as much as local elections:

You must understand that the presidential election DIRECTLY effects your local elections. Case in point with this election. Before Bush: Democrats had the Congressional majority. After Bush: Republicans have the Congressional majority. The President directly effects every single position held on the local level. Based on reaction to the President, those in his party either gain or lose favor. The President also has a major influence on the judicial system, as he picks the majority of those that fill the positions. For example, Supreme Court Justices often wait until a president they think is suitable for the job to retire because they don't want to be replaced with someone who they wouldn't deem worthy of the job.

 

[B_DoubleMeatWhopper]

I always keep in mind the words of a certain comedian: "Blaming our country's problems on the president is like blaming Ronald McDonald when you get a bad cheeseburger; neither one runs the company."

 

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Javierdude22: [quote author=DoubleMeatWhopper link=board=99;num=1051303715;start=24#26 date=05/22/03 at 00:47:56]I always keep in mind the words of a certain comedian: "Blaming our country's problems on the president is like blaming Ronald McDonald when you get a bad cheeseburger; neither one runs the company."[/quote]

Well...maybe not for specific problems DMW but sure as hell for a general situation. Im worried about a few things: shortsightedness of Bush, lack of vision, lack of political knowledge, and his cowboy-billy-boom attitude.

Mix that and you have a case for disaster. Look, im not from the US, i was there for a half year for school, and followed a class in American Politics which was great. Really cool to see how things work there. But immediately after i learned how things work there i thought: isnt this kinda NOT very democratic? I mean the president can start gerrymandering governmnetal borders so he'll get optimal votes in next elections, he elects supreme court judges who clearly judge diffrenet in vertain cases (how is that possible by the way, you have a law and you stick to it).

From a European, well no...from a Dutch point of view (cause i also dont agree with how FRance handled things) i just hope Bush doenst get re-ellected cause i DO think he is DIRECTLY responsible for some major political, economic and social problems. Even top economists agree, saying his Tax plan benefits the rich again, and not the poor. And if youre a good politician and want to get the economy going, you knOw that giving buying power to the poor will help the economy cause theyll spend it immediately, on good clothes, car, luxury food etc. The rich start saving extra money, and wont pump it into the economy.

Just try to elect your next kandidate by really digging into his opions, attitudes, knwoledge, etc.

By the way...i saw 'Bowling for Columbine' (Michael Moore) yesterday...VERY good documentary...it makes you think...see it if you havent yet

Laterz

 

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7x6andchg: Schroder Jr-

You have a point. What has often been called the fourth check and balance in the American system is the fact that the electorate tends not to let the presidency and both houses of Congress stay the same party for greater than 2 years...so the President does affect that...or vice versa sometimes.

The last time it happened was under Reagan, and before that I believe it might have been FDR...

 

[jonb]

The guy decides to piss away our budget for the wealthiest 1% while simultaneously having a war in Iraq.

Now, if you or I were in debt, we'd work more, and we wouldn't splurge on luxuries. But Bush, Bush is in debt and decides to leave home for the Sheridan downtown in his brand-new Lexus while they install a pool. After all, that Sheridan's close to the jewelry store he's planning on buying for Laura.

 

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dukefan162002: I will use this for my first post.

Anyone who has taken any economics course knows darn well that the basis of the economy is ultimatly brought back to individuals. Bush's tax cut is fiscal policy, and Greenspan is working his tail off on monetary policies.

Without getting into the long involved part of it, a balnce bteween spending AND saving it was we need in this country.

Another thing, we do not have it that bad off here in economic standpoints. OUR HIGHEST THE INFLATION RATE HAS BEEN IS 16%! Thats is not even bad. Many countries expierience 100% inflation (prices double evey year) and germany after world war I expierienced 1,000,000 % inflation (people paid for meals right when they sat down at a resteraunt because prices would be higher by the end of meals).

As for unemployment is about where it was when slick willy left office. In January, it was 5.7%, in February it was 5.8%, so what was the headline when the inflation came out in February? UNEMPLOYMENT ROSE SHARPLY. .1% is not rose sharply.

The economy naturally goes in cycle, we had about 7 years in the 90s of a good economy and around 2000 it started going downhill. Expect it to get good times soon.

After all this, please elect Bush!

 

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Javierdude22: [quote author=dukefan162002 link=board=99;num=1051303715;start=24#30 date=05/22/03 at 20:34:57]Another thing, we do not have it that bad off here in economic standpoints. OUR HIGHEST THE INFLATION RATE HAS BEEN IS 16%! Thats is not even bad. Many countries expierience 100% inflation (prices double evey year) and germany after world war I expierienced 1,000,000 % inflation (people paid for meals right when they sat down at a resteraunt because prices would be higher by the end of meals).

As for unemployment is about where it was when slick willy left office. In January, it was 5.7%, in February it was 5.8%, so what was the headline when the inflation came out in February? UNEMPLOYMENT ROSE SHARPLY. .1% is not rose sharply.

After all this, please elect Bush![/quote]

Hm...sorry....but i just get an instant reflex to respond when someone says 'please elect Bush'...

Yup...Germany had a high inflation after WW2.....maybe that wAs because of WW2? Now the inflation is 2% and has been like that for 20 years or so. Holland ditto.

I dont quite get the January February and slick willy story. Is slick willy Clinton?

The thing is, i read an article last week about the Basis of the US economy. That in factr is outside monye from Japan and Europe. US debt over BBP is 131% (!!!!) in Europe its 75%. Having a more than 100% debt over BBP is asking for trouble. Thats the thing, in the US an average John Doe has a morgage he cant sustain to pay, a car he cant afford to drive, and a creditcard bill the size of Utah. Credit credit credit....and thats whats gonna come turning round one day. Im not saying it WILL, im saying that Bush's policy of spending (his tax policy and his random spending on defense) will make the matter totally worse if it DOES collapse.

Lets face it...we need someone with a brain in the White House....o...and it should function...

 

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7x6andchg: duke-

You have a point, comparitively speaking the US does not have it as bad as other countries do or have had it in the past.

Part of our problem as Americans though is that we expect things to be better here because of our rather short-sighted idea of who we are and what our economy is capable of...to me, being unemployed, the 6% or so that is claimed to be our current unemployment rate seems low, based solely on the number of people I know in a variety of industries who are unemployed, for example.

I'm not saying you're wrong at all, just offering an idea as to why we Americans might be kvetching a little more than other people would.

Javier - did you mean to post 4 times? Darn sticky keys!

 

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dukefan162002: and why may I ask our the economies of western Europe so good, a little thing after World War II called the Marshall Plan.

Boom and bust cycles naturally happen, we happen to be in a bust cycle.

As a guy on the curtrency said on MSNBC or something like that "We have currency that is taken a hit but backed by a strong economy while the euro is powerful right now backed by weaker economies".

"Thats the thing, in the US an average John Doe has a morgage he cant sustain to pay, a car he cant afford to drive, and a creditcard bill the size of Utah. Credit credit credit....and thats whats gonna come turning round one day. "

So that Bushs fault? When it comes righ down to it, the individual controls the economy, there spending AND saving.

Many people opposed the iraq war because they thought we were "acting liek a bully and showing off our strength" but yet some of these same people cry when unemployment is 6% under the "we are America we should be better than 6%." Do you know what full employment is, 4% unemployment. I am positive we have one of the lowest unemploymwnt rate in the world.

It goes back to a feeling people have about every walk of life (esspecially sports), it is not what have you done for me but what have you done for me LATELY.

 

[B_DoubleMeatWhopper]

I cannot envision myself casting a vote for Dubya's re-election; I want a gooder product!

 

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7x6andchg: dukefan-

You're right. We don't save in this country. We never have..well, not never...we haven't saved consistently since the Depression.

Americans are conspicuous consumers.

7x6&C

 

[jonb]

[quote author=DoubleMeatWhopper link=board=99;num=1051303715;start=24#34 date=05/23/03 at 16:56:23]I cannot envision myself casting a vote for Dubya's re-election; I want a gooder product!  [/quote]
Some new Bush slogans:

George Bush: The first president to support an Engrish-only law.
All your Bush are belong to us.
If yousa vote for mesa, mesa talk like Jar Jar Binks.

 

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Javierdude22: [quote author=dukefan162002 link=board=99;num=1051303715;start=24#33 date=05/23/03 at 14:08:09]and why may I ask our the economies of western Europe so good, a little thing after World War II called the Marshall Plan.

Boom and bust cycles naturally happen, we happen to be in a bust cycle.

As a guy on the curtrency said on MSNBC or something like that "We have currency that is taken a hit but backed by a strong economy while the euro is powerful right now backed by weaker economies".
So that Bushs fault?  When it comes righ down to it, the individual controls the economy, there spending AND saving.

Many people opposed the iraq war because they thought we were "acting liek a bully and showing off our strength" but yet some of these same people cry when unemployment is 6% under the "we are America we should be better than 6%."  Do you know what full employment is, 4% unemployment.  I am positive we have one of the lowest unemploymwnt rate in the world.
[/quote]

Lol....no....not 4 posts....five .....ok ok....seriously...ill stop after this one...

Firts of all...i enjoyed the United States very much...it left me with some very good friends i still see once a year, and some good European friends i made there as well...

I just dont agree with a lotta political things there...and of course those are attached to actual cultural feelings as well...but not in all the US (Clai is a notable exception).

Duke fan - you misunderstood me...i never said it was Bush fault so many people consume too much...im referring to the frameweork created where all that is possible....and the fact that he introduced a tax plan that will benefit only the richer part of the country.

Your link from the people opposing the Iraq war and then compalining about unemplyment is irrational. So the iraq war is what keeping your unemployment rate down...is that your pointy? I personally would rather not be able to make such a point, but to each their own.

Btw...your unemployment is 6%...ours too.
Weak economies then...ok...that could be a nice discussion. Is ours weak compared to th US. True...we dont have a growthrate like the US. But then: we weigh other costs as well. We adhered the Kyotoprotocol....which knocks a few percent of our ec. growth. We have a welfare state that takes care of the poor and sick....people that cant afford mediacl health get full age for a minimum price of 25 dollars a month. People that dont have a job get 800 dollars a month unemployment money, so they wont have to hit the streets. Pensionplans ae mandatory for each company by law. Everybody gets an automatic pension of 70% of their last earned income. Rent: People with low incomes get a full rent exemption upto 300 dollars. We have high gas prices of upto 1,70 dollar per 1/4 gallon (YES!!!)....thats cause of taxes....so we wont pollute too much.

Thats how it goes here. Look, we dont have a better country, we each do things differently, but we all think we do the best we can...thats great....but back to Bush....lets not kid ourselves...were getting close to new imperialism here....and national policy aint too great either...youll see im right in November 2004.

Laterz

 

[jay_too]

duke fan..

i would like to point out your assertion that the unemployment rate NOW is the same as it was in the closing months of the clinton administration is at odds with reality:

Joblessness at 30-year low
May 5, 2000: 11:52 a.m. ET

Unemployment rate drops to historic levels; labor market tightest since 1970
By Staff Writer Jake Ulick

NEW YORK (CNNfn) - The U.S. unemployment rate tumbled to a 30-year low of 3.9 percent in April, the government reported Friday, as worker-starved companies raised wages and went on a hiring spree that created 340,000 new jobs.

i hope you find old news useful.

in fact i think you will find that u.s. unemployment was not at 6% since the last days of the first bush administration.

jay

 

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notsoyoungteen: Ok people. Time to set the record straight. I absolutely HATE it when people say stupid things like, "What has Bush done for the economy?" This has to be the most ignorant statement EVER. Except, of course, for something along the lines of, "Clinton was a good president." Our economy went down the shitter for two reasons: 1. The shitty mess Clinton left us with when he left office. 2. 9/11. The terrorist attack on 9/11/01 made the entire nation scared to go on flights, eat out, and just about everything else they used to do. There is nothing anyone could do to get people to get back on airplanes and the such. Oh, wait, there is one thing... get rid of the terrorists! Which just happens to be exactly what Bush is trying to do! He's also attempted to jump start the economy with his recent tax cut. Alot of people say," Oh great, a tax cut, that will give the gov't less money and increase the national debt." Hello? Wake up! FYI, while he was in office, Ronald Reagan instituted numerous small tax cuts throughout his presidency. Through this, he DOUBLED the amount of money the gov't received! It's simple; give Americans money, and they'll spend it! Honestly, I don't see anything this president has done wrong. Anyone dare to prove me wrong?